General Requirements: Each member firm is limited to TWO typical production item entries in each class. In the case of specialty flavor classes, the entries must be different flavors. All entries must be manufactured in the plant of the entrant, must be entered whole, and processor dues in the association must be current. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to specify on the entry blank the class in which their entry belongs. 

Removal of Identifying Marks: Exhibitors are required to remove all identification marks branded or stamped on entries; any such marks found at the registration desk will be removed. This includes the packaging of the product, do not include labels on packaging.

FSIS Compliance Guidelines: All appropriate products shall be processed according to Appendix A and Appendix B of the Compliance Guidelines for Meeting Lethality Performance Standards.

Awards: Awards will be provided to exhibitors who entered the top scoring products in the class. The number of awards given will be determined by the class size. An exhibitor may only win one award per class. If an exhibitor has two products in a class, only the higher scoring product will be eligible for an award. 

Product Cookery: Products will be heated or cooked using either a microwave or clamshell style grill depending on the product characteristics. Categories subject to cooking or heating include bacon, wiener/small diameter sausage, smoked sausage/ring bologna, fresh specialty small diameter sausage, and specialty products.

 

CLASSES FOR THE 2025 SDAMP PRODUCT SHOW

Bacon

Must be standard approved trim, skin on or off, not cut or sliced and weigh a minimum of 7 pounds.

Product Evaluation:  

External Appearance (Before Cut):  150 Points. Amount of trimming, workmanship, eye appeal, conformation and outside color should be the main points considered.  Bacon may be skinned or unskinned, but skinned bellies should exhibit careful workmanship in skinning.  Judges will severely penalize a belly showing excessive trimming, poor workmanship in trimming or robbing of lean areas.  Proper trimming will be: (1) where the belly is removed from the loin, the belly should only be squared at this point; (2) the two ends should only be squared to give an attractive appearance – excessive shortening will be discounted; (3) removal of the spareribs and additional trim around the spareribs will not be considered in the evaluation of excessive trim.  During judging, the exhibit will be cut into 2 pieces approximately 1/3 of the way from shoulder end of the bacon slab. 

Internal Appearance: 350 Points.  

Fat to Lean (After Cut) – 150 Points.  Lean bacon is very desirable and should be scored accordingly unless it is so lean that it would indicate a poor-quality hog.  Texture – 100 Points.  Pumped bacon may be downgraded in texture if it appears to have excessive moisture. The temperature of the bacon should be considered in scoring the texture, since cooler bacon is firmer.  Inside Color – 100 Points.  Lean should be light red, fat should be white, color should be uniform; bruises will downgrade score. 

Cooked Flavor & Aroma: 500 Points.  

Aroma – 100 Points.  Off or sour odors should downgrade the bacon, and a good smooth aroma should upgrade it.  Flavor – 400 Points.  Flavor should be a pleasing rich flavor – not too salty nor too bland.  The presence of off-flavors such as rancidity, bacterial spoilage, etc., shall severely downgrade the product.

 

Wiener / Small Diameter Sausage

Must be fully cooked (Refer to USDA/FSIS Appendix A) and under 40mm diameter. No colored casings are allowed.  No Visible Inclusions – no cheeses, fruits, vegetables, etc. allowed (these products should be registered under the Specialty Products class) at least six links or 1 lb. equivalent.

Product Evaluation:  

External Appearance: 250 Points.  

Visual appearance and workmanship:  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Uniformity of shape (diameter, length, etc.) – 75 Points.  Lack of defects (i.e., air pockets, wrinkles, fat caps) – 100 Points. 

Internal Appearance: 275 Points.  

Uniformity of texture – 50 Points.  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Fat to lean ratio – 50 Points.  Lack of defects – 100 Points. 

Edibility: 475 Points.  

Aroma – 75 Points.  Flavor – 300 Points.  Texture/mouth feel – 100 Points.  Off flavors such as rancidity, bacterial spoilage, etc., shall severely downgrade the product.

 

Smoked Sausage / Ring Bologna

Must be made with beef/and or pork, fully cooked (Refer to USDA/FSIS Appendix A), and consist of one ring uniform diameter casing OR at least six links, OR a 1 lb. equivalent.  Entries can be coarse ground, fine ground or emulsified.

Product Evaluation:  External Appearance: 250 Points.  

Visual appearance and workmanship:  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Uniformity of shape (diameter, length, etc.) – 75 Points.  Lack of defects (i.e., air pockets, wrinkles, fat caps) – 100 Points. 

Internal Appearance: 275 Points.  

Uniformity of texture – 50 Points.  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Fat to lean ratio – 50 Points.  Lack of obvious defects – 100 Points. 

Edibility:  475 Points.  Aroma – 75 Points.  Flavor – 300 Points.  Texture/mouth feel – 100 Points.  Flavors such as rancidity, bacterial spoilage, etc., shall severely downgrade the product.

 

Whole Muscle Jerky

May consist of beef, pork, bison, lamb, veal, or poultry.  Kippered and Dried Beef Strips are allowed.  Entries must be whole muscle and ready to eat.  No visible ingredients (cheese, wild rice, jalapeno flakes, etc.) are allowed, those should be entered in Specialty Products. Seasonings/spices are ok (pepper, garlic, siracha, etc.).  Entries must weigh a minimum of ¼ pound and must not be cut after cooking and/or smoking.

Product Evaluation:  

External Appearance: 250 Points.  

Visual appearance and workmanship:  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Uniformity of shape (diameter, length, etc.) – 75 Points.  Lack of defects (i.e., air pockets, wrinkles, fat caps) – 100 Points. 

Internal Appearance: 275 Points.  

Uniformity of texture – 50 Points.  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Fat to lean ratio – 50 Points.  Lack of defects – 100 Points. 

Edibility: 475 Points.  

Aroma – 75 Points.  Flavor – 300 Points.  Texture/mouth feel – 100 Points.  Off flavors such as rancidity, bacterial spoilage, etc., shall severely downgrade the product.  

 

Fresh Specialty Small Diameter Sausage

– open to any unique sausage item.  Entries must be no larger than 40 mm diameter and include at least six links or 1 lb. equivalent.  This product must include a VISIBLE ingredient which may include but is not limited to: wild rice, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, etc.  Product must be uncooked. 

Product Evaluation:  

External Appearance: 250 Points.  

Visual appearance and workmanship:  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Uniformity of shape (diameter, length, etc.) – 75 Points.  Lack of defects (i.e., air pockets, wrinkles, fat caps) – 100 Points. 

Internal Appearance: 275 Points.  

Uniformity of texture – 50 Points.  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Fat to lean ratio – 50 Points.  Lack of obvious defects – 100 Points. 

Edibility: 475 Points.  

Aroma – 75 Points.  Flavor – 300 Points.  Texture/mouth feel – 100 Points.  Flavors such as rancidity, bacterial spoilage, etc., shall severely downgrade the product.  

 

Snack Sticks

May consist of beef, pork, bison, lamb, veal, poultry, or any combination of these.  Skinless, clear, or colored casings allowed.  Product must be ready to eat.  No Visible Inclusions- no cheeses, fruits, vegetables, etc. allowed (these products should be registered under the Specialty Flavor Snack Sticks category). Entries must include at least six links.

Product Evaluation:  

External Appearance:  200 Points.  

External appearance includes uniformity of color, casing or surface appearance and lack of obvious defects.  

Internal Appearance: 100 Points.  

Product will be judged high on particle uniformity and excessive fat shall down score the product. 

Aroma/Edibility/Flavor:  700 Points.  

Aroma – 100 Points.  There shall be a desirable cured aroma; objectionable odors will be downgraded.  Texture – 150 Points.  Mouth feel and appropriate moisture content will be extremely important in the judging of this product.  Edibility – 150 Points.  A desirable appearance, pleasing aroma, desirable mouth feel and flavor, along with a pleasant aftertaste that will stimulate continued or further consumption of this product, shall upgrade this product.  Flavor – 300 Points.  A suitably full-bodied flavor is appropriate.  Flavor may vary at the discretion of the entrant.  A pleasant aftertaste is necessary.

 

Specialty Flavor Snack Sticks

– may consist of beef, pork, bison, lamb, veal, poultry, or any combination of these.  This product must include a VISIBLE ingredient which may include but is not limited to: wild rice, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, etc. Skinless, clear or colored casings allowed.  Product must be ready to eat.  Entries must include at least six links. 

Product Evaluation:  

External Appearance:  200 Points.  

External appearance includes uniformity of color, casing or surface appearance and lack of obvious defects.  

Internal Appearance:  100 Points.  

Product will be judged high on particle uniformity and excessive fat shall down score the product. 

Aroma/Edibility/Flavor:  700 Points.  

Aroma – 100 Points.  There shall be a desirable cured aroma; objectionable odors will be downgraded.  Texture – 150 Points.  Mouth feel and appropriate moisture content will be extremely important in the judging of this product.  Edibility – 150 Points.  A desirable appearance, pleasing aroma, desirable mouth feel and flavor, along with a pleasant aftertaste that will stimulate continued or further consumption of this product, shall upgrade this product.  Flavor – 300 Points.  A suitably full-bodied flavor is appropriate.  Flavor may vary at the discretion of the entrant.  A pleasant aftertaste is necessary.

 

Cooked Summer Sausage

Must be fully cooked (Refer to USDA/FSIS Appendix A).  Entries must be a whole stick, not cut or sliced.  Entries may consist of beef, pork, bison, lamb, veal, poultry, or any combination of these.  No colored or printed casings allowed.  Traditional products only – no cheeses, fruits, vegetables, etc. allowed (these products should be registered under the Specialty Products category).  Tang is expected. 

Product Evaluation:  

Appearance: 250 Points. 

Visual appearance and workmanship:  Uniformity of color 75 Points.  Uniformity of shape (diameter, etc.) – 75 Points.  Lack of defects (i.e., air pockets, wrinkles, fat caps) – 100 Points. 

Internal Appearance:  275 Points.  

Uniformity of texture – 50 Points.  Uniformity of color – 75 Points.  Fat to lean ratio – 50 Points.  Lack of obvious defects – 100 Points. 

Edibility: 475 Points.  

Aroma – 75 Points.  Flavor – 300 Points. The presence of strong aftertastes shall severely downgrade the product.  Texture/mouth feel – 100 Points.  Flavors such as rancidity, bacterial spoilage, etc., shall severely downgrade the product.

 

Specialty Products Class

This class is open to any meat product fully cooked or uncooked. Products cannot be duplicated from another class entry. Products must follow rules of similar categories above (i.e. specialty bacon must be standard approved trim, skin on or off, not cut or sliced and weigh a minimum of 7 pounds). If your product does not fit in a class listed above, a minimum of ½ pound of product must be presented.

Product Evaluation:  

External Appearance: 225 Points.  

Color – 75 Points. Uniformity of shape – 50 Points.  Lack of defects – 100 Points. 

Internal Appearance: 275 Points.  

Color – 75 Points. Texture – 50 Points.  Fat to lean ratio – 50 Points.  Lack of defects – 100 Points. 

Edibility: 500 Points.  

Aroma – 75 Points.  Flavor – 325 Points.  Texture/mouth feel – 100 Points.  Flavors such as rancidity, bacterial spoilage, etc., shall severely downgrade the product.